Why do people believe things for no legitimate reason?

It is obvious that people believe things for no good reason.  Religion obviously being the best example.  People also believe things are definitely going to work out for them, or that their ill loved ones will magically recover... or other nonsense that is not grounded in reality.  When confronted about these things they elevate their beliefs to absurd heights... heights that rational discourse simply cannot reach. Why do we do this?  WHY?  

Nice thinly veiled bash religion thread.

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It is obvious that people believe things for no good reason.  Religion obviously being the best example.  People also believe things are definitely going to work out for them, or that their ill loved ones will magically recover... or other nonsense that is not grounded in reality.  When confronted about these things they elevate their beliefs to absurd heights... heights that rational discourse simply cannot reach. Why do we do this?  WHY?  

BenedictArnold7

Because they are taught that believing absurd things is a a virtue.

Nice thinly veiled bash religion thread.

Aljosa23

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CHOASXIII

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CHOASXIII

:lol:

Nice thinly veiled bash religion thread.

Aljosa23

Nice thinly veiled bash religion thread.

Aljosa23

people tend to believe what comforts them not necessarily something scientifically provable.

people tend to believe what comforts them not necessarily something scientifically provable.

VaguelyTagged

People have thousands of preconceived notions that underline their entire line of thought that they believe for no reason whatsoever. If you had to provide a reason for every single belief and thought you'd go crazy.ferrari2001

Being irrational is entirely rational.

because evidence is hard

Nice thinly veiled bash religion thread.

Aljosa23

Atlus shrugs works too.

people tend to believe what comforts them not necessarily something scientifically provable.

VaguelyTagged

I would rather know why you seem to be so offended by something I'm sure has never been more than a very minor annoyance to you, or why you betrayed these United States, Mr. Arnold.

Nice thinly veiled bash religion thread.

Aljosa23

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Oh look we have an insecure OP trying to bash what he doesn't understand.....LJS9502_basic

[QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]Oh look we have an insecure OP trying to bash what he doesn't understand.....BenedictArnold7

[QUOTE="BenedictArnold7"][QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]Oh look we have an insecure OP trying to bash what he doesn't understand.....fueled-system

Hunches, feelings, believes, etc. Not everything needs to be solidified, physical, 100% scientifically proved for it to be real to someone. ShadowsDemon

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TheFlush

It is obvious that people believe things for no good reason.  Religion obviously being the best example.  People also believe things are definitely going to work out for them, or that their ill loved ones will magically recover... or other nonsense that is not grounded in reality.  When confronted about these things they elevate their beliefs to absurd heights... heights that rational discourse simply cannot reach. Why do we do this?  WHY?  

BenedictArnold7

[QUOTE="fueled-system"][QUOTE="BenedictArnold7"] I do understand plenty of beliefs that make no sense. Or maybe I am missing something. ON what grounds are people believing absurd religious claims? Or other things that they pull out of thin air. Please explain... maybe I am wrong. BenedictArnold7

[QUOTE="TheFlush"]

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Toph_Girl250

[QUOTE="Toph_Girl250"][QUOTE="TheFlush"]

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ShadowJax04

It is obvious that people believe things for no good reason.  Religion obviously being the best example.  People also believe things are definitely going to work out for them, or that their ill loved ones will magically recover... or other nonsense that is not grounded in reality.  When confronted about these things they elevate their beliefs to absurd heights... heights that rational discourse simply cannot reach. Why do we do this?  WHY?  

BenedictArnold7

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CHOASXIII

lmfao.

Why do you care OT?  Why do you want to crush peoples hopes and dreams?  And besides, some people feel their faith in god and prayer has blessed them with many fortunes in life, and if they feel that way, who are you to say otherwise?

[QUOTE="BenedictArnold7"][QUOTE="fueled-system"]No all you are doing is trying to troll.... I believe in God because there have been many circumstances in my life that have kept me with those beliefs, if you don't believe congrats but telling others it is absurd is childish and immature.LJS9502_basic

[QUOTE="BenedictArnold7"]

It is obvious that people believe things for no good reason.  Religion obviously being the best example.  People also believe things are definitely going to work out for them, or that their ill loved ones will magically recover... or other nonsense that is not grounded in reality.  When confronted about these things they elevate their beliefs to absurd heights... heights that rational discourse simply cannot reach. Why do we do this?  WHY?  

edgewalker16

Because of the human condition. Superstition came about before the scientific method.Zeviander

indoctrination since birth is the easiest and most obvious answer.  You cant blame them, really, and it explains how religion and political beliefs are passed down from generation to generation with pretty much 99% continuity.

Not generalizing, but based on real life observations:

-If youre _______, generally you seek a _________ mate.  Naturally, your offspring will be _________.

-If youre not ________, generally you will seek a more open-minded mate, but might settle for a ________ one out of frustration.  Chances are, given how sacred _________ is to your mate and in-laws, you will concede to them and allow your offspring to be ________ as well.

-If youre lucky enough to find a mate that is open-minded and does not believe in ________ , at least not literally or unconditionally, then hooray for you!  Chances are your offspring will be fortunate enough to be raised in a household that entertains the ideas of multiple _______ , but does not enforce any of them, and they grow up to be dirty filthy hedonistic heathens bastards

(just insert any belief or -ism or -ology or whatever into _________ that people will blindly follow and kill and murder and condemn you for)

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CHOASXIII

anyway people believe whatever you tell them to believe because it takes effort to be a skeptic while to believe all you have to do is nothing.

Why we believe propaganda.

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_hidden_brain/2010/09/is_obama_the_antichrist.html

Your brain lies to you

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/opinion/29iht-edwang.1.14069662.html?_r=2&

How and Why We Lie to Ourselves: Cognitive Dissonance

http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/10/how-and-why-we-lie-to-ourselves.php

The DunningKruger effect

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

[QUOTE="edgewalker16"][QUOTE="BenedictArnold7"]

It is obvious that people believe things for no good reason.  Religion obviously being the best example.  People also believe things are definitely going to work out for them, or that their ill loved ones will magically recover... or other nonsense that is not grounded in reality.  When confronted about these things they elevate their beliefs to absurd heights... heights that rational discourse simply cannot reach. Why do we do this?  WHY?  

BenedictArnold7

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CHOASXIII

:lol:

[QUOTE="BenedictArnold7"][QUOTE="LJS9502_basic"]Oh look we have an insecure OP trying to bash what he doesn't understand.....fueled-system

[QUOTE="ShadowsDemon"]Hunches, feelings, believes, etc. Not everything needs to be solidified, physical, 100% scientifically proved for it to be real to someone. BenedictArnold7

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